A DOG locked inside a cage has been found dumped in Malvern.

Cruel owners abandoned the 18-month-old black and white collie cross, who was trapped in a dog crate without water, in an act labelled as “dastardly”.

But the defenceless canine was spotted by a member of the public last week before being rescued by the dog wardens at Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

The collie, who has now been named Rupert, was in a dog crate designed for inside use and training purposes.

Pip Singleton, dog warden and animal welfare officer, said: “I dread to think how this could have ended for Rupert had he got out of that cage so close to a main road.

“It just doesn’t bear thinking about. Why anyone would go to such a degree of trouble to dump their dog is really quite beyond me.

“You really have to question the mindset of these people when they are doing such a dastardly deed to a defenceless creature - the mind boggles.

“If you can’t cope with your animal anymore, please, please, please don’t just dump them – let us or another organisation help you. Help is out there.

“Luckily Rupert is now safe, well and free from harm, but the tables could quite easily have turned against this beautiful boy.

“It is heart-breaking that every week we have another sad story to tell. It would be nice to bring the public some happy fairy stories once in a while but sadly 2015 has been full of cruelty and neglect.”

If you are thinking of getting a pet but need more advice or are struggling to care for a current animal, contact Pip Singleton on 01905 822799.